Reliability of Software-Based Fire and Gas Detection Control Systems

As modern technology influences the safety management of worksites, software-based fire and gas detection control systems are becoming a reliable tracker of real-time data operations. Fire and gas detection systems involve the processing of signals from gas, temperature, smoke and ultraviolet instruments.

For many years, the design of fire and gas detection and suppression systems was performed by utilizing rules-of-thumb that were applied by seasoned experts. The heuristics that lead to the placement and the rule of the orientation of fire and gas detector arrays were rarely documented to any “thumb based” approach for the significant degree.

This made verification and validation of the design of placing fire and gas detection systems of being too difficult and confusing. Fire and gas detectors installed to a software within the hazard area determines more adept and familiar with analyzing worksite operation risks even in times of unforeseen circumstances.

In this article, we will discuss the primary use and reliability level of software-based fire and gas detection control systems to integrate safety management inside a worksite.

Defining the Reliability of Software-Based Detection Systems

Software Reliability depends on many factors, including:

Software quality

Functionality

Usability

Performance

Serviceability

Capability

Installability

Maintainability

Documentation

Software reliability when it comes to fire and gas detections has always been a hard-to-achieve criteria due to technical complexities. But through the years, system developers have been making significant advances to make software-based gas and fire detection as accurate and reliable as their traditional counterparts.

System performance reliability could be further assessed in terms of failure on demand. This would ignore unwanted or false alarms as a measure of reliability. During operational hours, keep in mind that when alarm sounds starts to blare out, the production does not stop. The alarm signal must be considered and should be administered instantly by safe evacuation outside the worksite for further inspection of what caused the alarm.

Let us discuss the different steps and methods when using this kind of program inside your worksite:

• Fire and Gas Mapping

Fixed flame and gas detector systems are designed and installed to protect large and complex areas filled with process equipment and faces higher risk of combustible or toxic gas leaks, explosions, and flames.

For these systems to be effective, it is essential that they can detect the presence of any flame and gas hazards within monitored process areas. Determining optimal quantity and location of a flame detector and gas detectors is therefore critical to ensure the detection system’s effectiveness.

• Risk-Based Coverage Analysis

There are countless potential ways in which a fire or gas release can impact on a facility. It is therefore critical that an appropriate methodology is applied to ensure the strategic distribution of sensors or detectors. The reliability of software-based fire and gas detection systems, in this case, complies with the aim of covering the different risks inside a worksite by detecting small unforeseen combustible materials during working hours.

• Optimize Resource Allocations

Through a reliable software-based detection system, the appropriate types and quantities of flame and gas detectors can be objectively determined. Optimized fire and gas detection also equip the engineer with the means to measure detection improvements when small incremental design changes are made. This particular software-based program can, therefore, help minimize overall system costs.

• Improves Workforce Operations

Fire detection systems are designed to discover fires early in their development when the time will still be available for the safe evacuation of occupants. Early detection also plays a significant role in protecting the safety of emergency response personnel. That is why software-based fire and gas detection systems are more reliable because it reacts to simple causes of fire and gas leakage. An accurate alarm for the workforce in times of emergency means that your workers will learn how to be aware of their surroundings and how to cope up with safety measures in times of crises.

• Ease of Use and Implementation

Software-based fire and gas detection systems are easy to use and implement. When setting them up, you need to mount the units and turn them on. No wiring technology required from the monitor to the sensor or from the sensor to an external power source. A software-based based detection system provides 12 months of monitoring before the battery should be replaced.

Contact us today if you are interested to learn more about the different ways on how you can choose a reliable software-based fire and gas detection program on your worksite.